New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-23


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One Sunday evening Senator Dixon, with whom
was on terms of intimacy came to my rooms
WIN The announcement that the United States
m"isnu Tor Connecticut was dead, and urged me
" pin With him in the recommendation of gen.
o'onah VINO lived in county town in my district
anu 10 whom he was under obligations for political
i".ors. The gentleman named was not q csndi-
"a'o ior the office lived remote from the place
where the courts were held and had no experience
ia ohe duties Of such position. Dixon was a
persuasive man. was a very young member and
was easily fattcred with the idea that could Sc
cure leading appointment for my district. He
urged we should 60 up that evening and secure
inc appointment before the other members Of the
uelegation should present n rival candidate Dixon
was a favoritc at the White House. lived nearly
opposite tho Executive Mansion and was in tho
habit OF dropping in Sunday evenings. informally.
anu chatting with the President.
was put forward to state the case and urged
IL with all the arguments could muster. Mr.
Lincoln listened with half serious, half comic
expression, asked some pointed questions which
showed that he took in the full inwardness Of the
situation, and when had concluded, said "You
Ichiihu me or young lawyer In SaDgamon
county who had hung out his single for long
timc without having client. At last he got one.
puC feeling very anxious not to lose his first
ne Thought he would go down and state il to the
Justice who to try 1t and ascertain in advance
what he thought Of IL. So no went down ono
sunday evening and stated it for all it worth.
ana concluded by asking the Justice how he would
probably decide II. As you state the case,' re-
Piled the Justice, Il should be obliged to decide
against you. But you had better bring the
Probably the other side will make so much worse
n showing that shall have to decide the case In
your favor" There did not seem to be much for
Dixon and me to say after this, and so. soon
we fairly could retired in good order. few
days after q candidate from another part OF the
State was strongly urged by the rest OF the dele
CATION. In about a week however, Colonel Hay
came up to the Capitol to say that he was directed
by the President TO tell me that ] had won my
first case, that the Dutch justice had decided in
my favor and that candidate was appointed.
lie proved a capable and unexceI tionablc officer.
Mr. Lincoln was often appealed to, az sort OF
Appellate Court TO override the rigorous Judgments
of his Cabinet officers. | remember case
In point which brought Joy 10 the heart Of d Con-
necticut mother Her son, who perhaps lit
tie Wild had ono day, returning from school, been
trapped by some New York bounty agents, paid
$500, enlisted in Ncw-Yor< regiment and hurried
on to the 'front.' without his parents knowledge.
His mother WAS almost distracted. Ills father,
then Of the first citizens OF Connecti-
cut. had interviewed in vain TO get his release A
delegation OF prominent citizens or his town came
TO Washington and appealed TO the Secretary Of
War. but met with a gruf refusal Dixon
and | were then solicited to use our good Offices
with Mr.. Stanton. We reluctantly consented,
knowing that when the great War Secretary had
once locked his Jaws tho generally hope
less We visited tho War Ofice with somewhat
he feelings OF men who were about To beard a
lion In his den We found him, as was his custom.
standing bolt upright at the corner Of his desk.
with "a head like n huge cannon ball short massive
neck. square built frame and iron gray beard flow
ing down over his bosOm-a man OF ir0n-wlth eyes
blazing full OF energy. viii and determination lie
heard my appeal with i'll concealed inn atience and
snOted out an instant and absolute refusal: lie
had heard tho case before and had decided It.
The boy had taken his money and enlisted. II
hc should discharge all the minors whose mothers
wanted them home he would soon not have man
TO handle n musl<et."
Wo were glad Ia get out Of the lions den with
out being bitten. Leaving the War Ofiicc we went
TO the White House, resolving to appeal unto
CRsar. Mr. Lincoln heard the with sympa-
thctc interest. No meritorious appeal ever
made to that great tender heart In vain. lie at
)nce wrote Oh one OF the inevitable envelopes |
" Let young - OF Connecticut, minor. en-
listed by fraud in the - New-York Regiment |
De discharged. A. Lincoln
We took this. not without an air OF triumph |
pack TO Stanton TO have the necessary order rs
sued. He glared at It for an instant. crlmpled il |
n his fist, threw 1t on the floor and growled |
hrOugh his set teeth, Il won't do it," l said {: |
:" Shall we report that TO the President your re-
by, Mr.. Secretary ?" "Ycs," said he. bristltng |
Ike grand old Numtdan lion. "and you may add |
hat l will resign my portfolio before l will set
uch n precedent"
We returned to the President and reported the
Gene and the words verbatim.
Did no say that after reading my order p
sScd the President.
Yes" 1 replied. expecting explosion.
"Well.' said he, IL guess he would do it. We
AL -. IA, -.
is mother" and taking piece OF paper he wrote.
To the commanding officer ut -. Discharge
Dung - OF Connecticut, now in the -
ew.YorlS and send him to Washington. A. Lin
oln."
In week the boy was In his mothers arms at
bridgeport.
Both OF these great leaders were right, each
ycrcisng his providental mission in his appointed
lace Stanton the incarnation Of war; with
4 rigors and its horrors The whole soul OF LIN
DIN was attuned to gentleness. mercy and peace.
he great Secretary moved right on regardless or
lend or foe, an iron hammer in tho hands Of the
mighty TO shatter the Rebellion. Tho great
resident with sOftcned heart and saddencd face,
anding then In the shadow Of "a fate which was
ION TO oyertake him, tempered justice with
ercy Both have gone 10 their reward But
leir work rcmaneth and what and how they
rought will be preserved in the hearts OF grateful
mericans TO the last syllable Of recorded time.
An incident occurred in connection with my nc
laintancc with Mr. Lincoln which, without my
ult proved to be melodramatic and came close. !
rhars. to tragedy. Colonel -, an old officer r
perannuated before the war, was, while was a
mining for Congress stationed in my district lie
ed to send the garrison band TO enliyen our meet
IS and occasionally to serenade me. When l I,
i to Washington l discovered l was expected a
10 pay for tho piper by pushing state claim n
lich the Colonel had against the Government as
for quarters fuel. horses. etc, while
was awaiting orders many years previously In
W. York. l presented the case to Secretary Stan
q. but although the claim was technically Just y y
put his foot ID Immediately. I'VE were
raping the earth, the air and the sea-" no said,
q get o dollar 10 pay live soldiers, without
sting money on dead ones" l tried to keep n
. old colonel easy by writing him that it was b
ought the claim was technically good but the Z
no inOppOrtune for presenting It, Not long after n